“It’s great to have Jeroen back with us,” stated team owner and co-driver Tim Pappas. “The SprintX format give us a unique opportunity to bring in a second driver for an all-out push to the finish, and Jeroen couldn’t be a better fit. Not only did many of our greatest accomplishments come with him joining us, but he’s had a lot of experience with the car and should be able to provide valuable insight. We’re all very glad to see him return, and hopefully we can add another chapter of success to the team.”

No stranger to success, Bleekemolen first arrived on the U.S. scene in 2010, with Black Swan Racing and Tim Pappas providing his first full-season home in the former American Le Mans Series GTC ranks. Wasting no time to deliver results, the duo would go on to have a landmark series of years, dominating the category from 2010-2011 with nine victories en route to successive championships, including wins at Sebring and Petit Le Mans.

Since that time, the pair have gone on to run in a variety of cars and categories, with Bleekemolen taking another championship in the GTC ranks in 2013, and most recently taking yet another Sebring victory in March with the venerable Mercedes-AMG GT3.

With a strong wave of momentum, the addition of Bleekemolen is just the latest in an increasingly strong roster of drivers in the Pirelli World Challenge’s SprintX championship. A 10-race series that combines the heritage of endurance racing with the excitement of sprint racing, the schedule will feature a double-header weekend of 60-minute races, with each driver taking his turn during a portion of that. This presents a dynamic unlike any other, as drivers will have to share the car and adapt to each other’s setup needs, but with extremely limited time to make up ground.

For Bleekemolen, a return to a familiar home is a welcome one.

“It’s great to be back with Black Swan Racing,” stated Bleekemolen. “The SprintX championship is a unique approach to multi-driver racing, and it should be interesting to compete in an all-out sprint. The Mercedes-AMG GT3 has repeatedly proven to be a great car in categories all over the world, and we hope to have the same success here. I really appreciate the opportunity from Tim and the whole team, they played an instrumental role in beginning my U.S. career.”

While only 27 years old, Morad’s 10 year racing resume boats strong results. In 2007, the Toronto native won the Formula BMW USA Championship, setting a record of six race wins in one championship. In 2015, Morad’s career in sports car racing began to blossom when he finished second in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada with nine podiums in ten races. The following year, he returned to the series to clinch the championship, earning four wins and ten podiums in twelve races. Morad closed out the 2016 race season with another championship title, winning the inaugural season of the IMSA Porsche GT3 North American Cup. His 2017 race season got off to the best kind of start, with a GTD class win at the Rolex 24 Hours At Daytona with Alegra Motorsports.  Morad’s first laps in the No. 2 Mercedes AMG GT3 will occur on Wednesday at the promoter test day at Virginia International Raceway.

“I am really happy to join CRP for the 2017 SprintX Championship,” said Morad. “There were a lot of top drivers in the mix for the seat so it is a real honor to have been chosen to pursue this exciting challenge. The past 12 months have been career changing, and I really appreciate the opportunity from Nick Short and the whole team.”

Morad will join full time driver Ryan Dalziel in the No. 2 Mercedes AMG GT3, who has already completed three races with the team. Dalziel holds two second place finishes at the 3.27 mile, 17 turn road course in Alton, Virginia.

“I’m really looking forward to Virginia International Raceway,” said Dalziel. “I haven’t been there since the resurfacing, but we’ve heard it is perfect now. I am excited about the first SprintX race of this season, and hoping Daniel and I can get a win.”

The two will be up against strong competition in the already highly competitive series, as the SprintX events have attracted professional drivers from around the world.

Competitors will have just under four and a half hours of testing and practice before Saturday’s qualifying session. The current driver rankings hold Dalziel at a Gold, and Morad as a Silver, meaning their Pro/Pro lineup will not require a minimum amount of time spent in pit lane during the mandatory pit stop. Both drivers will have to complete a minimum of 25 minutes of racing, but no more than 35 minutes.

While Pirelli World Challenge competition in previous years has spotlighted single-driver entries, the series new “SprintX” format will combine the heritage of endurance racing with the the excitement sprint racing. With all races will featuring two drivers sharing the car, much like at endurance races, all events will be only 60 minutes, putting a premium on maximizing every lap in search of top results.

Martin Fuentes returns to the team as the reigning Pirelli World Challenge GTA category champion following a landmark 2016 season. Last year, not only did he take nine victories, but seven of them consecutively – a record for the Series’ GTA category – and amassing enough points that his championship was clinched with two races remaining in the season.

Returning to competition as Fuentes’ co-driver will be former F1 driver Stefan Johansson. Boasting one of the strongest résumés in motorsport, the Los Angeles resident and current Scuderia Corsa Sporting Director has competed in everything from Formula One, to IndyCar, to driving some of the most legendary cars to ever compete at the 24 Hours of LeMans. Beyond having driven with teammates that included names like Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, the native of Sweden has also enjoyed a fantastic history with the Ferrari brand, driving for their Formula One team from 1985-1986.

For Fuentes, the opportunity to return to competition in 2017 is one he has looked forward to.

“I’m very excited to be back with Scuderia Corsa and racing this 2017 championship,” stated Fuentes. “I’m looking forward to a great season just like we had in 2016, and there’s new challenges of course. There’s two championships that we’ll be fighting for this year, and I’m very excited and motivated. I’m in great shape, and have done my pre-season training and I’m in the best shape of my life and I’m looking forward to a good start for both championships in the Pirelli World Challenge and Ferrari Challenge as well.”

For Stefan Johansson, a return to driving is an exciting one.

“I really look forward to returning to the cockpit with this program, it’s always something special to be racing for Ferrari” stated Johansson. “We’ve worked hard to develop this organization, and having Martin return to the team is a great testament to what we continue to build. He obviously had a tremendous 2016 season, so I’m confident that with the two of us teaming together we can have a great season, we’re both prepared and ready. The Pirelli World Challenge’s SprintX championship is a really interesting approach, and the current roster of teams and drivers is at a very high level, it should be a great experience.”

For Team Owner Giacomo Mattioli, the team’s return to Pirelli World Challenge competition is one they have all looked forward to.

“We are delighted to be back with Martin and the Pirelli World Challenge,” stated Mattioli. “Our 2016 program together was a big part of Scuderia Corsa amazing 2016 season and, with Stefan’s return, all the ingredients are there to continue that legacy in to 2017. We’ll be one of very few teams representing Ferrari, and we are looking forward to deliver a good show!”

Practice for the Grand Prix of VIR begins this Friday, April 28, with races taking place on Saturday, April 28 and Sunday, April 29. Live event coverage can be found on http://world-challenge.com/streamvideo/ , with continuous updated provided via the team’s social media accounts as the event draws closer. Delayed television coverage will also be available on CBS Sports Network the following Sunday, May 7, at 6PM ET.

Kane, 43, still remembers the days he spent at Kane of Comber, which mainly sold vintage MG, Nissan and Alfa Romeo cars among others. The lot was in the village square, owning an entire side. The building still stands since the business closed some-15 years ago – now replaced by grocery stores and other shops. But, the memories are still vivid. Kane especially cherished school holidays, as he spent his breaks serving the store’s customers in his early-teens.

“Yeah, that’s right,” Kane said. “We had petro pumps right outside in front of the showroom, and I’d spend my days serving people their fuel and stuff. It was something to do, gave me a bit of money and I enjoyed it. Cars were always in my blood, forced only a little bit because of the business, but I didn’t really feel like it was forced on me because it was something I enjoyed.”

Kane, who was confirmed as a McLaren GT Factory Driver for the 2017 season, will compete in the Pirelli World Challenge SprintX GT Championship Series in the No. 6 K-PAX Racing McLaren 650S GT3 racecar. The class, first introduced in 2016, features 10 races at five tracks. The series will headline the Grand Prix at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) from April 28-30.

Kane began racing karts in Northern Ireland when he was 14 years-old – a late-bloomer from when kids usually first start racing. In the summer of 1987, Kane and his father purchased a dated Chariot go-kart and a fire suit for £350 (about $450). He upgraded to a newer kart for the 1988 race season and competed for another two years before stepping up to race Formula Ford in the following years. This step was essentially into the world of racing for Kane, as he tested Ford 1600s throughout Europe. In 1994 and 1995, he raced in Formula Vauxhall and Formula Opel where he was the 1994 British winter champion and the 1995 overall British champion.

From 1999-2000, Kane competed in Indy Lights which is a developmental series for the current Verizon IndyCar Series. The opportunity was Kane’s first stint in the United States of the many to follow; he entered the sports car ranks the following year as a driver for MG Sport and Racing Ltd. In a 19-year span Kane has competed in the U.S. sporadically, mainly entering the 12 Hours at Sebring at Sebring (Fla.) International Raceway with multiple teams. Remarkably, Kane rebounded from a 28th place finish in 2002 (his debut) with a 6th place performance one year later at “America’s oldest road racing track.”

Kane has spent seven seasons with Strakka Racing, which became a McLaren customer team in 2017. In his first season with the team, Kane piloted a LMP2 HPD ARX-01 to an American Le Mans Series title with Nick Leventis and Danny Watts – whom he shared the ride with since 2010. On the SprintX tour, Kane only has experience at the Circuit of Americas (Tex.) – not including his testing session with K-PAX Racing at VIR in late-March.

“I tested at a lot of places throughout America,” Kane said. “I got to go to a lot of different tracks. [This season] there’s a few new ones to learn, but I like going to new venues because you have to think a little more about it…figuring out the best way around it which I enjoy.”

Notably, Kane tested for the McLaren Formula 1 team in 1995, winning the B.R.D.C. McLaren Autosport Young Drivers Award. Though Kane will be competing in a McLaren GT sports car more than 20 years later, he gets a confidence boost having worked with the manufacturer before. He said that he has always felt a strong connection with McLaren, and to be able to drive for them now is “quite a special feeling.”

Mexican ace and former GT Academy winner Ricardo Sanchez will team up with young American star Frankie Montecalvo for a single car title assault starting at the first SprintX round at Virginia International Raceway on April 29 and 30.

The GT-R NISMO GT3 was a race winner in Pirelli World Challenge competition last year with another GT Academy winner Bryan Heitkotter taking a pair of wins at the Utah Motorsports Campus.

Sanchez heads to the US championship after spending the past two seasons racing in Europe in the Blancpain GT Series with Nissan.

“After racing for the past two years in Europe, it’s really exciting to get the chance to race the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 in the US,” Sanchez said. “It’s a completely new chapter for me. I’ve got a whole new set of tracks to learn but the GT-R has been really strong in the U.S. and I’m looking forward to continuing my career in a new country.”

Sanchez has been preparing for his US debut by going back to his racing roots.

“I have been training on most of the tracks in the simulator and I’ve been looking at on-board videos from VIR,” Sanchez said.

“I think the GT-R could be really strong there because of the fast corners and the track is really quick. I really can’t wait. I know the car well and Frankie knows the tracks – I think we’ll make a great combination.”

Montecalvo is no stranger to success in the Pirelli World Challenge Championship, the American driver won the GTA class championship in the series in 2015 with seven victories. His racing resume also includes two assaults on the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a full season in the European Le Mans Series in 2013 and runner-up finish at the Dubai 24 Hours.

“I’m very excited to team up with Always Evolving and AIM Autosport in the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 for the Sprint X Series,” Montecalvo said.

“I’ve always been a fan of the GT-R, both as a racecar and the streetcar version, and I’m very, very excited to be working together this year.”

The SprintX Championship began last season with a limited number of races. For 2017, there will be 10 races over the course of five weekends – following a similar format to the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup which Sanchez raced in last season for Nissan in Europe.

SprintX is a recent addition to the Pirelli World Challenge schedule and has been attracting the attention of the world’s leading GT3 manufacturers, which are deploying factory drivers to support their top Amercian customer teams.

At just 22 years old, Vince Abril has been selected by Bentley Motorsport to support Bentley Team Absolute, following two successful season of racing in Europe. Abril, who resides in Monaco, was promoted to Bentley’s works team at the end of 2015 after he won the Blancpain Sprint Series in a Continental GT3.

“We watched the first season of SprintX very closely and felt that it was a championship that Bentley Motorsport should be involved in,” explained Bentley’s Director of Motorsport Brian Gush. “Bentley Team Absolute is a great team and Adderly and Vince will make a good pairing.

“We recognised Vince’s talent early on and, after a year of supporting him as he raced for our European customer team, we selected him to race for our works team. He is a great representative for Bentley on a global level and we are proud to be sending him to the USA to embark on a new challenge for himself and the brand.”

In a second Continental GT3, full Bentley Team Absolute Pirelli World Challenge competitor Yufeng Luo (CN), who has impressed in his first two outings of the championship, will race alongside Swiss driver Alex Imperatori for the first two rounds.

DRIVER QUOTE

Vince Abril, Car #7: “I am delighted and honoured to represent Bentley Motorsport in such a major and growing championship that is the Pirelli World Challenge Sprint X. It was a big career goal for me but I didn’t expect it to come so soon; I am very grateful and will do the best to capitalise on the opportunity I’m given.

“Bentley Team Absolute has obtained fantastic results for us, and I can’t wait to get started with them and Adderly, who has good experience with the car and the tracks. Together we will aim to bring Bentley to the top of the podium once more.”

Both Cadillac drivers had issues going into the dicey Long Beach Turn 1. Cooper started from the fifth row in his No. 8 Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe and was hit several times at the entry to Turn 1 and was relegated to 15th position. O’Connell started his No. 3 Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe two rows back in 12th and drove deep into Turn 1, couldn’t get the car turned and hit the wall causing heavy damage to the front of this Velocity Red ATS-V.R Coupe, but was able to continue. On lap eight a caution flag flew, due to water gushing onto the back straight from a broken fire hydrant. The race then went to a red flag stoppage and restarted with Cooper in 14th and O’Connell in eighth. With two laps to go O’Connell tried a pass on the seventh place runner and got into the wall and took the checkered flag in 20th. Cooper recorded a finish of 14th.

“The start was a tough,” Cooper said. “The entry into Turn 1 is wide and the inside is very inviting, but then the corner is a sharp left hander. One of the Acura’s came sailing into Turn 1 on the inside and got into me then there were cars bouncing off each other, the inside lane was stacked up. The car then popped into neutral and by the time I was able to get back going I was behind the GTA field. The Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe was handling well, but we just don’t have the power to make up positions.”

“The first thing that comes to mind is Cadillac’s motto Dare Greatly,” O’Connell said. “I Dared Greatly today. I left everything I had out there on track today. It is unfortunate. All we can do is keep digging and win for Cadillac. We will put this one behind us and move onto Virginia. When you have one arm tied behind your back, what do you do?”

The Pirelli World Challenge Series will travel to Virginia International Raceway (VIR), April 28-30. The VIR round will include the season’s first SprintX race.

Cadillac Racing, since the team’s inception in 2004, has amassed 31 wins, 110 podium finishes (including wins) and 24 pole positions. The team won the World Challenge Manufacturer Championship in 2005, 2007, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Team Cadillac drivers have won the World Challenge Driver’s Championship in 2005 with Andy Pilgrim and in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 with Johnny O’Connell.

The No. 2 Mercedes AMG GT3 ran strong in the opening practice sessions, topping the charts on Friday. The team had a difficult qualifying run in a highly competitive field, earning a sixth place starting position. The field took the green flag Sunday morning, and contact form behind damaged the right rear bodywork on Dalziel’s car. He was able to continue without stopping, and held on to his sixth place position. In the laps to follow, the field spread out, each car earning a comfortable gap.

With 35 minutes remaining, the race was red flagged after an overhead water main pipe broke over the back straight, flooding over that area of the street course. Once track officials stopped the leak and dried the track, the field restarted with 20 minutes remaining. The entire field again spread out, with minimal passing occurring before the checker flag flew. Dalziel and the No. 2 Mercedes AMG GT3 finished sixth position.

“It was a positive weekend for us,” said Dalziel. “We definitely learned what direction we need to go in with the Mercedes AMG GT3. From the minute we rolled off the truck, we were good. It was a relatively dull race for us. We may have had something for a top five, but we had some damage to our car. We learned a lot in this last race. I’m glad we are leaving the street courses because this car will excel on road courses.”
 
VIRginia International Raceway (VIR) will host the next rounds of the Pirelli World Challenge April 28-30, returning to its normal double header format. The event will feature the first rounds of the SprintX Championship, where Dalziel and another driver will share the driving duties for the expanded 60 minute race. An announcement on the second driver will be made in the coming weeks.

The drivers were greeted this morning with a drying track from overnight rains. Practice and qualifying were back-to-back and the Cadillac drivers and engineers were adjusting the Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupes to the changing track conditions.

In qualifying, Cooper posted a time of 1:19.494 that will have him start his No. 8 Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe from the fifth row. O’Connell drove his No. 3 Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe to a time of 1:19.779 that will have him one row back in 12th.

“Practice was a little bit of a struggle,” Cooper said. “I stayed late with the Cadillac guys last night and we dug through everything and got the Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe better. Practice this morning was sketchy. The track was wet, especially where the drift cars have been it was like an ice rink. I had to tip-toe through that section. When it came to qualifying you have to be a little brave. We just don’t have the speed of some these other cars right now. We will race hard tomorrow.”

“Naturally I am a little bit disappointed for myself and the team,” O’Connell said. “We made some set-up changes that may not have been optimal for the way the track was this morning. It is tough when you see where Alvaro [Parente] is with the McLaren. The adjustments that have been place on us from last year are showing up on myself and Michael Cooper. We are struggling a little. It was one of those deals where I knew I didn’t have a pole car, but maybe a top five car. Sometimes you get beat. All we can do is dig deep, race hard and work together as a team. We will rise to the occasion tomorrow and race hard.”

The Long Beach race will be broadcast the same day on the CBS Sports Network, Sunday, April 9 at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Cadillac Racing, since the team’s inception in 2004, has amassed 31 wins, 110 podium finishes (including wins) and 24 pole positions. The team won the World Challenge Manufacturer Championship in 2005, 2007, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Team Cadillac drivers have won the World Challenge Driver’s Championship in 2005 with Andy Pilgrim and in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 with Johnny O’Connell.

Ferraris have been thrilling crowds in Long Beach, California since the beginning of racing on the street circuit. Ferrari captured victory three times during the era of the United States Grand Prix West – in 1976 (Clay Regazzoni), 1978 (Carlos Reutemann), and 1979 (Gilles Villeneuve). More recently, Ferraris captured the IMSA GT2 class victories in 2007 (Risi Competizione) and 2008 (Tafel Racing), and Olivier Beretta won the 2015 Pirelli World Challenge race in an R.Ferri Motorsport Ferrari 458 GT3.

This weekend, in the midst of a yearlong celebration of Ferrari’s 70th Anniversary, four teams are eager to secure another victory at Long Beach for Ferrari.

The teams competing in the IMSA Sports Car Championship will face a very different challenge than the previous race at Sebring. The Saturday afternoon race, which will feature a shorter-than-normal race distance of 100 minutes, will place a premium on the drivers extracting the most speed possible on the bumpy street circuit in qualifying as well as the speed of the pit crews during the race’s likely single pit stop.

Both Risi Competizione and Scuderia Corsa arrive in Long Beach after finishing on the podium at Sebring. At Sebring, for the second straight race, the no. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GTE driven by Giancarlo Fisichella and Toni Vilander closed out a hard-fought race with a third-place finish. After two races, they are third in the GT-LeMans season championship.

Risi Competizione has one victory at Long Beach, in 2007, as well as six additional podium finishes on the street circuit. Last year at Long Beach, the team scored the first GT-LeMans podium for the Ferrari 488 GTE.

This year marks the first time that the GT-Daytona class will compete at Long Beach, and thus it is the first time that the no. 63 Scuderia Corsa Ferrari 488 GT3 will compete on the street circuit. However, drivers Alessandro Balzan and Christina Nielsen have raced there before and are fresh from a runner-up finish at Sebring.

In Sunday’s Pirelli World Challenge race, another pair of Ferrari 488s will be competing for victory after they had a strong start to the season in the series’ first weekend at St. Petersburg.

Alex Riberas, driving the no. 61 R. Ferri Motorsport Ferrari 488 GT3, scored the first PWC podium of the season for Ferrari in the second race at St. Petersburg with a third-place finish after qualifying on pole position. Daniel Mancinelli, driving the no. 31 TR3 Racing Ferrari 488 GT3, scored pole position in the first race of that weekend in the series debut for him as well as the TR3 Racing team.

Saturday’s IMSA Sports Car Championship race will be broadcast live on FOX on Saturday, April 8 at 4:00 PM ET, while qualifying will be streamed live on Friday, April 7 at 7:30 PM ET on IMSA.tv.

The Pirelli World Challenge race will be broadcast on the CBS Sports Network on Sunday, April 9 at 2:30 PM ET.

Last year O’Connell took the checker as the winner of the Pirelli World Challenge GT race on the famous Shoreline Drive. After celebrating with the Cadillac Racing team, the World Challenge officials, during post-race inspection, deemed the No. 3 Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe to have had a single traction control induced turbo boost spike during the race. The World Challenge officials thus relegated O’Connell to second, handing the win to Alavaro Parente.

Both O’Connell and Cooper are looking for some redemption this weekend. O’Connell wants the win that was taken away last year and Cooper wants to have a solid run as his race was cut short in 2016. He had a car issue in qualifying that forced him to start from the rear of field. Using the restarts to his full advantage he drove the No. 8 Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe to fourth with his sights set on a podium finish. With eight minutes to go he rolled through fluid on the track and brushed the wall, which forced him to pit and park it. He was classified 15th and posted the fastest lap of the race.

“Well in my mind, we did win last year,” O’Connell said. “Being over boosted for less than the blink of an eye, while in traction control, I think it was a bit silly taking that away from us. Naturally I’m highly motivated. I think qualifying is going to be critical at every event this year. That stated, if you look at last year, I led going into Turn 1 only to get punted. We fought back from fourth, and got the lead back. So it is important, but opportunities always present themselves. Certainly the fans at St.  Petersburg were rewarded with two amazing races. The series has everybody pretty darn close. So I expect, once again, to see the same strong teams and drivers at the front. I definitely love the Long Beach circuit and fans, it is a real carnival like atmosphere.”

Cooper has unfinished business on the streets of Long Beach.

“Last year I put extra effort into preparing for Long Beach because it was going to be my first time driving the circuit,” Cooper said. “I feel a lot more prepared coming back for the second time. I have been analyzing data, my notes and video so that we can hit the ground running. Qualifying is crucial at any race, it makes life a lot easier when you can start up front. However I almost made it to the podium from last place in 2016. So no matter where we start, I believe we will be in contention for the win. I think there will be a lot of action like we’ve become accustomed to seeing in World Challenge. Everybody wants to win this race. I too feel we have some unfinished business in Long Beach, so I’m anxious to get on track.”

The Long Beach race will be broadcast on the same day on the CBS Sports Network, Sunday, April 9 at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Cunningham will drive a modified all-wheel-drive Acura TLX in the ‘Pikes Peak Open Class,’ one of the 64 cars entered for 2017 in this prestigious, international event.

From the start line at 9,390 feet of elevation, there are 12.42 miles, 156 turns and 4,725 feet of vertical rise to challenge the competitors with the finish line at 14,115 feet above sea level. The course was run in a gravel road condition from its onset, eventually becoming completely paved by 2012. While the asphalt road may infer a more civilized adventure, sub-freezing temperatures, wind, rain and/or snow can add to the challenges. Not to mention the bumps and undulations caused by the frequent freezing and thawing of the tarmac.

The No. 42 Pikes Peak TLX is under construction at RealTime’s workshop near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with plenty of design and engineering support from Honda Performance Development. Rules for the Open Class are quite liberal, so the TLX will benefit from modifications to the drivetrain, suspension and aerodynamics.

RealTime Racing is currently competing in the Pirelli World Challenge GT Championship with a pair of 2017 Acura NSX GT3s, gunning for its 15^th PWC title. In addition to the team’s 14 World Challenge Drivers’ Championships, Cunningham and RTR have also won three IIRA Ice Racing titles and an SCCA PRO Rally Production Championship since its inception 30 years ago.

Based upon their fast laps from race one, O’Connell took the green flag from the sixth position and Cooper went away in ninth. Down into the first turn the six cars ahead of O’Connell’s No. 3 Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe all showed a lot aggression trying to navigate the tricky right hander. O’Connell showed measured aggression and exited the turn in a solid second position behind eventual winner Patrick Long’s Porsche.

“At the start you always expect guys to get in this Turn One hot and run a little long,” O’Connell said. “Alavaro [Parente] and the Ferrari went way long and that opened up the opportunity for me to fall right into second. In the early couple of laps I thought I may have had something for Patrick, but by half distance my rear tires were just not there. The last 90-degree corner here just does not suit our car. We are great under braking and overall handling, but that last corner I just couldn’t match his speed through there this weekend. I couldn’t be more proud of this team to come away with a second and a fourth place finish. A good start to the year for us.”

Cooper had a good start and moved up to sixth from his ninth place starting spot. On lap 14 he passed the Porsche of Alex Udell for fifth. A late race caution had the young Cadillac driver run up alongside his nemesis from last year, Alvaro Parente’s McLaren, for fourth but couldn’t complete the pass and finished in fifth.

“I would have taken the fifth place without the late race caution,” Cooper said. “But that just made it more exciting for everyone, including me. On the restart I let it roll of the last corner and I got into Alvaro a little. We then slipped and slid down through three and into four side-by-side. Today was a good recovery for us, from the ninth place starting spot up to fifth. I am pretty happy with that today.”

The weekend’s races will be televised on Saturday, March 18 at 2 p.m. ET on the CBS Sports Network.

Next on the schedule, the team will travel to California for the Long Beach Grand Prix, April 7-9.

The Panoz Avezzano GTS’s performance in the hands of driver Ian James was encouraging.  And the team demonstrated its mettle as it worked hard to overcome a disappointing result due to cooling issues in Friday’s Round 1.

James qualified ninth in Thursday’s PWC GTS/GT4 qualifying, laying down a time of 1:20.634 in the No. 50 Avezzano GTS.  After Friday’s Round 1 rolling start, James quickly moved from ninth to sixth on the first lap and ran as high as fifth overall before retiring on Lap 8.

In Saturday’s Round 2, James and the Avezzano GTS kept pace and ran consistently in the top 10, having addressed the cooling issues from the day before. On the restart after a full course caution, James was unfortunately hit from behind, which resulted in a flat tire and broken rim that ended Team Panoz Racing’s day.

Team Manager Tom Milner deemed Team Panoz Racing’s and the Avezzano’s PWC GTS/GT4 debut this weekend an overall success, commending the team for tackling an ambitiously tight timeline to prepare the new race car and working hard to overcome the cooling issues.

The Avezzano GTS is based on the new Panoz Avezzano sports car, the latest street-legal Panoz creation. Visit www.panoz.com for more information.

Next up for Team Panoz Racing is PWC GTS/GT4 Rounds 3 and 4 with the Pirelli World Challenge at VIR, April 28-30, 2017, Virginia International Raceway, Alton Va. Please visit www.world-challenge.com for the most up to date Pirelli World Challenge at VIR schedule, as well as Motor Trend OnDemand streaming and CBS Sports Network broadcast information. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat for up-to-the-minute updates.

Quoteboard:

Tom Milner
“I think the overall weekend was good. We made a lot of improvements on the car. We are getting closer to solving the problems that are inherent to a new car. The car’s still running a little bit too hot, mainly water and brake temperatures. But in the overall picture the car definitely has potential. We just need to work on it a little more. Unfortunately we got taken out by an over-exuberant driver behind us who hit us in the right rear, so we had a flat tire and broken rim. Ian did the right thing to park the car so there wouldn’t be any more damage done. I think the guys did a great job . We fixed the problems that needed to be fixed, but we’re not quite there. In the overall picture, I’m happy.”
 
Ian James
“You know, I’m really very happy with the car. We’re still obviously in the development stage with limited running, but we made some improvements from yesterday. High speed balance is good, and the car’s really mega and really is good to drive. We’re working a little bit on traction to improve that, but now we need to do some setup work and find the real sweet spot.  As an initial race and major rollout, I’m very, very happy and confident we’ll be on the podium very quickly.”

Aschenbach, driving the No. 10 Blackdog Speed Shop Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R, and teammate Tony Gaples combined for a solid start to the team’s first year with Chevrolet’s new GT4 contender.

Gaples, in the No. 11 Blackdog Speed Shop Chevy Camaro GT4.R, posted a seventh-place finish in class – also mirroring his result in Race 1 a day earlier. Both drivers weathered contact in the race’s opening half.

Aschenbach took the lead from the standing start and led the first three laps before settling into second place. Following a restart from a full-course caution with 25 minutes left, Aschenbach was hit from behind by another competitor going into Turn One. The contact damaged the rear bodywork of the No. 10 Camaro GT4.R.

“Two second-place finishes with a brand new car is a great accomplishment,” Aschenbach said. “I’m proud of everyone at Blackdog Speed Shop for the effort they gave. We came into the weekend with a few unknowns but for the most part, the No. 10 Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R had a flawless run. I could have done without the avoidable contact from behind on the first restart. Thankfully it didn’t ruin our race. We were flat-out but just didn’t have enough. Having said that, I’ll take two podiums and the points! Thanks to everyone at Team Chevy, Pratt & Miller and Blackdog Speed Shop. This is a very solid start to the Camaro GT4.R program.”
 
Gaples, who started from the fifth row, was jostled around at the start going into the first turn but came away unscathed. His run to the finish capped a remarkably consistent weekend.

“That was a bit of a hectic start but overall today’s race was pretty smooth,” Gaples said. “It’s good to come away with these results and good points to start the season, especially with a brand new car. We’ve learned a lot about these Blackdog Speed Shop Chevrolet Camaro GT4.Rs this weekend. The performance and consistency have been great right out of the box. I’m really confident in the potential we have to contend for the GTS championship again. There’s some time for us to do a deep dive into the Camaro GT4.R before the next race. I’m already looking forward to the challenge.”

Both Blackdog Speed Shop Camaros showed well in the 50-minute race on the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg street circuit.

A storming start from Tony Gaples in the second Blackdog Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R netted him the Hard Charger award after improving eight spots in the race.

Aschenbach, driving the No. 10 Blackdog Speed Shop Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R, led the first 13 minutes from pole position at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg street circuit. He remained in second for the rest of the race and set the third-fastest lap – missing out on pole for Saturday’s Race 2 by just 0.119 seconds.

“I’m happy with a second-place finish and points with the new Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R,” Aschenbach said. “There is a lot of good to take from today’s race. The Blackdog Speed Shop Camaro performed really well throughout. There wasn’t much of a drop in performance as the race went on. The Camaro was remarkably consistent. So in a lot of ways, today was a big success. There will be room for improvement but I think we can be satisfied today with the performance of both our Chevrolet Camaro GT4.Rs in its debut race.”
 
Gaples qualified 15th but wasted no time in advancing through the field. He moved the No. 11 Blackdog Speed Shop Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R up to 11th after one lap and firmly into the top-10 by the midway point. He is eager to build on Friday’s momentum heading into Race 2.

“That was really fun and a really enjoyable experience getting to race this new Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R,” Gaples said. “The Blackdog Speed Shop guys have done a great job of getting these Camaros prepped and ready for this weekend. I felt a lot more comfortable and confident in the car today. I could attack from the start, which is normal for me, but the consistency of the Camaro GT4.R was a huge plus. We are all really encouraged by this first race. I’m really looking forward to tomorrow.”

Aschenbach posted a lap of 1:18.885 (82.17 mph) in the No. 10 Blackdog Speed Shop Camaro for his 13th career pole position in World Challenge competition. It moves him into a tie for ninth all-time in the series.

“Obviously, I’m very excited about pole position and debuting the brand new Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R,” Aschenbach said. “There’s a lot of pressure on us, and we really want to showcase what it is capable of. I’m really happy and proud for all the partners – Chevrolet, Pratt & Miller and Blackdog Speed Shop. We rolled off the truck fast other than a few things we were trying to work on to make us better for the race.”

Aschenbach claimed fastest qualifier honors by 0.238 seconds as the top five cars in class were within 0.950 seconds. He only turned four laps, which means his Pirelli tires will be fresh for Friday’s 12:15 p.m. ET race start.

A victory would be Aschenbach’s fifth at the 1.8-mile, 14-turn waterfront road course after winning in 2014 in a Blackdog Speed Shop Camaro.

“To be able to get the pole on the first weekend is a step in the right direction,” he said. “Race wins mean more than anything else, and we’ll be gunning for that and getting the Camaro GT4.R on the top step of the podium. So far, I’m really pleased with how it’s gone with all the work, dedication and focus on this program are all paying off. I’m really proud of the effort and can’t thank everyone enough for all the hard work. I’m ready to go racing tomorrow!”
 
Tony Gaples qualified the No. 11 Blackdog Speed Shop Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R with a lap of 1:21.328 (79.67 mph) – good enough for 15th on Friday’s grid. Gaples’ Camaro missed the day’s only official practice session, but Gaples is a notoriously quick starter as evidenced by claiming the Best Standing Start award last year at St. Petersburg.

“It was good to come out and get some laps in the new Blackdog Speed Shop Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R,” Gaples said. “We missed the first practice and fell behind a little so that hampered us some in qualifying. I’m not thrilled with my starting spot but I think we’ll be good for the race. Congratulations to Lawson on a great lap for pole! We’ll take a look at his setup and data to get our car closer to the front for tomorrow. So far it’s been a blast driving this new Camaro GT4.R!”

Lawson Aschenbach and Tony Gaples will pilot the two Blackdog Speed Shop Camaros for the full World Challenge season. In another change for this year, the two Blackdog Camaro GT4.Rs will run in a new livery scheme starting with a GTS doubleheader as part of the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. A total of 20 GT4/GTS cars are entered.

Based on the road-going Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, the Camaro GT4.R features a 6.2-liter, Chevrolet small block V8 that was developed and validated by Chevy Racing. Power is delivered to a six-speed Xtrac sequential transmission with paddle-shifting and adjustable traction control.

Additional mechanical features include an Xtrac racing limited-slip differential, a two-way adjustable Ohlins Racing dampers and adjustable ABS along with Brembo brakes. On the aero side, a new rear wing, front splitter and front diveplanes offer noticeable improvements over the previous generation Camaro.

“There’s always anticipation to start the season, but this one we’ve been waiting on for a long time,” said Aschenbach, a four-time World Challenge champion. “It’s not every day you get the chance to debut a car like the Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R with Blackdog Speed Shop, so we’re all doubly excited about this! I’ve been very impressed with the Camaro GT4.R in testing leading up this weekend. That support from Chevy combined with the expertise of the guys from Blackdog Speed Shop will give us all the pieces we need to contend for another GTS Championship.”
 
The 1.8-mile, 14-turn layout at St. Petersburg is the only street circuit on the GTS schedule, and it’s a venue that is familiar to Aschenbach, Gaples and Blackdog Speed Shop. Aschenbach is a four-time winner on the Florida Gulf Coast including 2014 in a Blackdog Camaro.

Gaples will race in GTS at St. Petersburg for the fifth time and will look to match or better his sixth-place finish at the track in the 2012 GT race. He comes into the season fourth all-time in World Challenge starts with 168 and is the series’ active leader.

“It’s finally here! We’re all eager to get the season started with our new Blackdog Speed Shop Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R,” Gaples said. “The testing we’ve done with the GT4.R has been positive so we’re feeling pretty confident going to St. Petersburg. There are a lot of variables this weekend such as a lot of new cars in GTS and a street circuit with bumpy sections, smooth sections and lots of concrete. It’ll make for an exciting start to 2017 for Blackdog Speed Shop and Team Chevy!”

The combination of Blackdog Speed Shop and the Camaro platform is a winning one in Pirelli World Challenge. Entering 2017, Blackdog Speed Shop is the winningest team in PWC GTS competition with 18 victories. The team won three consecutive GTS Driver’s Championships – Aschenbach in 2013-14 and Michael Cooper in 2015 – as well as the 2013 GTS Team title during Blackdog Speed Shop’s first season in the category. Chevrolet was the Manufacturer’s Champion that season, as well.

The Pirelli World Challenge GTS class will race on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, on Thursday through Saturday. Qualifying is set for 5:45 p.m. ET on Thursday with the first of two races set for 12:15 p.m. ET on Friday. GTS Race 2 is scheduled for 12:55 p.m. ET on Saturday.

“I am pleased to return to the Pirelli World Challenge with our KTM X-Bow GT4s in the 2017 GTS championship with drivers Bill Ziegler and Frankie Montecalvo,” said ANSA Motorsports team owner, Alain Nadal. “Last season was almost perfect for us. We won the driver championship for our first participation in the GTS championship and with a brand new car! We worked hard all winter to finalize our program and make our cars even more competitive than in 2016. We finished second in the GTS team championship last year, and this year again, for our third season in the Pirelli World Challenge, we want to continue winning with our KTM X-Bows.”

ANSA Motorsports comes to St. Petersburg with two KTM X-Bow GT4s to compete in rounds 1 and 2 of the 2017 Pirelli World Challenge GTS championship. Bill Ziegler is also back with ANSA Motorsports, for his second season with the team, and will drive the No. 9 Swisher Racing KTM X-Bow GT4 all season long. The second KTM X-Bow GT4 will be driven by Frankie Montecalvo.

Like Ziegler, Montecalvo lives in Florida and is excited to make his debut in the GTS championship. In 2015, he won the Pirelli World Challenge driver championship in the GTA class with seven wins, six top-three podiums and six pole positions.

“I am very excited for the opportunity to race with ANSA Motorsports,” Montecalvo said. “I could not be happier to drive for the 2016 champions and defend their GTS title. The KTM should be a great platform for the St Pete street circuit, its tight and technical corners should allow us to be very competitive. This will be my first time driving the KTM car and my first time racing in the Pirelli World Challenge GTS class. It’s never ideal to first drive a car at the race weekend but I look forward to the challenge and think I have the car and team to succeed.”

Montecalvo, 25, made his racing debut in 2008 by entering various club and historic events. Since then, he has competed in a selection of top racing series in North America and Europe and even raced twice in the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 2016, he finished third in the Pirelli World Challenge driver championship in the GTA class.

Ziegler only competed in 10 races of the 2016 Pirelli World Challenge and finished 15th in the GTS driver championship and is happy to continue his racing program with ANSA Motorsports.

The Cadillac Racing drivers will be putting their Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupes through their paces at the 1.8-mile, 14-turn modified street course that circulates through the city streets of St. Petersburg and a runway at the Albert Whitted Airport. In 2016 each of the Cadillac drivers stood on the PWC GT St. Pete podium with O’Connell third in the first race and Cooper third in the second.

The competition level of the PWC GT Championship has been increasing each year. For four-time champion O’Connell this suits him perfectly.

“The first race of the year is always interesting as some guys are knocking the rust off and others are pretty dialed in,” O’Connell said. “All of the teams are just getting their feet under them. Basically I plan on just continuing on as I always do, working hard with the team to put the most competitive Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe on the track that we can. I always enjoy racing at St Pete. Hard to believe my first win there was in Formula Atlantic in 1987. Luckily for me I’m just as hungry as I was back then.
 
“At this level you want to compete against the best, so it’s great that a few more fast guys are entering the series,” O’Connell said. “Having Ferrari back and a fast pro in a Mercedes is only a good thing. I think the fans enjoy the diverse cars and competition.”

O’Connell’s goal for 2017 is a carryover from 2016.

“But for a flat tire at Lime Rock and an electrical issue at Road America last year I feel we would have won number five,” he continued. “So the goal is what it always is, win races and the championship as well as represent Cadillac and the series at the highest level.”
 
“It’s incredible to see the depth of World Challenge increasing year after year,” Cooper said. “I hope the fans can appreciate the talent in this GT Class, I have not seen a name on the entry list that made me say – that guy can’t win. With that said, I don’t think I need to remind anybody how strong Cadillac Racing is, we’ll be ready.

“The circuit itself has a great mix of high speed, low speed, chicanes and heavy braking, which keeps the driver’s on their toes.  That, combined with just enough passing opportunities, makes for entertaining racing for the fans. A street course is one of the coolest places to start the season and the amount of energy the city of St. Petersburg puts into the event is what makes it so fantastic. We will be aggressive. I’m prepared for a typical street fight. Let’s just hope the aggression is slightly tempered.”

Cooper’s season goal mirrors that of O’Connell.

“I want to win the Championship. Period. But that isn’t my goal per se,” he continued.  “Minimizing mistakes and getting the most out of each race is what will ultimately achieve that goal. That is my focus.  I’ve always gone about my racing in that way and my mindset has not changed.”
 
The Pirelli World Challenge Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will be televised on Saturday, March 18 at 2 p.m. ET on the CBS Sports Network.

“This is an exciting time for Chevrolet Racing with the first race for the new Camaro GT4.R,” said Mark Kent, Chevrolet Director of Motorsports Competition. “It is another great example of how Chevrolet transfers technology between our racing programs and our performance production vehicles. The Camaro brand has a strong history on the track and the street, and the GT4.R program will add to that pedigree.”

The Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R will compete in two of North America’s leading production-based racing categories: the Pirelli World Challenge’s GTS class and the Grand Sport class of the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge with a debut there set for May at Circuit of The Americas.

At this weekend’s Pirelli World Challenge event, Blackdog Speed Shop will campaign two Camaro GT4.Rs to start its full-season program.

“The Camaro GT4.R is a true racing customer car that Chevrolet is proud to support,” said Shawn Meagher, Chevrolet’s Program Manager for the Camaro GT4.R. “Together with our Chevrolet Racing organization and our partner teams, we look forward to developing this into one of top GT programs in global motorsports.”

“As a team owner, I couldn’t be happier with the depth of our Sprint and SprintX lineups”, said Wright Motorsports Principal, John Wright. “I’m looking forward to working with Patrick and Jörg as teammates again and very excited to see what Jan and Mike can do sharing a seat in GTA. It’s been a long offseason, but now we’re ready to kick things off and take care of some unfinished business!”

Consistency is Key
With their sights set on besting 2016’s second place GT and GTA championships, Wright Motorsports is retaining an identical lineup for the Sprint season, with Michael Schein in the No. 16 Porsche 911 GT3 R and America’s lone Porsche factory driver, Patrick Long in the No. 58 Porsche 911 GT3 R.

2016 saw a season of success and redemption for Patrick Long, the 2011 Pirelli World Challenge champion. After joining the John Wright-led team mid-season last year, the California native took second in the championship with three wins and five top-five finishes. Having brushed just seconds away from the GT class title, Long is hungry and poised to be a 2017 contender from the moment he arrives in St. Petersburg.

While he might have been new to the Pirelli World Challenge and the Porsche 911 GT3 R, Michael Schein proved himself to be an exceptionally quick learner in 2016. Despite missing three rounds, the New Yorker ended the season with a strong second place in the GTA championship. He sprayed champagne after fifteen of the seventeen races he contested, eight of those being victory celebrations. Heading into his second year of PWC competition and fourth year with Wright Motorsports, Schein looks to capitalize on his successful performance in the GTA category.

Bergmeister and Heylen Slated to SprintX
The 2017 season marks the debut of the Pirelli World Challenge’s new racing format, which will see five 60-minute SprintX events with two drivers per car. During these rounds, Patrick Long will be teamed up with fellow Porsche factory ace, Jörg Bergmeister, while Michael Schein shares a seat with Belgian stand-out, Jan Heylen.

Bringing a wealth of well-honed knowledge and Porsche racing experience to the table, PWC novice, Jörg Bergmeister, will undoubtedly be a strong asset to the No. 58 Porsche 911 GT3 R. While the German Porsche factory driver carries an extensive resume driving Porsche racecars, his most recent experience comes from the Porsche 911 GT3 R, of which he also contests full-time in the IMSA WeatherTech Championship.

Many could vouch that Patrick Long and Jörg Bergmeister have already proven themselves to be a winning combination. Prior to the 2017 season, the duo has earned three championships in seven seasons together and shared the top step of the podium at prestigious events such as the 24 Hours of Daytona, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the 12 Hours of Sebring. The last time Long and Bergmeister contested a full season together was in 2012, when Wright Motorsports served as a technical partner for their Flying Lizard Motorsports program.

“Seeing Patrick and Jörg back together brings a smile to my face, as I’m sure it does for many fans of the driver duo from the 911 GT3 RSR Flying Lizard Motorsport days,” said Jens Walther, president and CEO of Porsche Motorsport North America.

“The Flying Lizard team was one of the most popular and successful customer teams in recent memory, with multiple championships to their credit. The two will definitely add excitement to the growing PWC SprintX format.”

Capping off the SprintX roster will be sports car racing veteran, Jan Heylen. Heylen holds a long-standing relationship with Wright Motorsports and Michael Schein, having successfully competed and coached with the Ohio-based team for many seasons. Originating from a strong open-wheel background in Champ car, Renault Eurocup, and F3000, the Belgian has seen countless podiums, driving Wright Motorsports prepared Porsche racecars in the endurance format. Though new PWC competition, Heylen will have no problem adjusting to his ride with experience driving a Porsche 911 GT3R in this year’s Rolex 24.

The 2017 Pirelli World Challenge will kick off with Rounds 1 and 2 at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg March 10-12. The first SprintX event will take place April 28-30 at VIRginia International Raceway (VIR).

Driver Quotes:

Patrick Long // No. 58 Porsche 911 GT3 R
I’m very grateful to be back for another shot at the championship with the Wright Motorsports team. It’s also great to back in a car with my long time co-driver Jörg Bergmeister. This will be our eighth time running a season championship as teammates since 2004! Jörg is a tremendous competitor and always pushes every aspect of the program to be its very best, including his teammate! We’ve shared a lot of very fond memories and victories in the past and have many more to make in the coming races.

Michael Schein // No. 16 Porsche 911 GT3 R
I’m excited to get back to work with the whole Wright Motorsports team in the Porsche 911 GT3R. We learned a good deal about the car last year and I expect us to be strong out of the gate. I’m happy to see a few more competitors on the GTA grid for this year. It should make for some good racing. Sprint X will be a new experience for me as I have never had to do a driver change. However, the 60 second minimum stop time will give us plenty of time to get the change done. I’m looking forward to sharing the car with Jan. We’ve known each other for a few years now and he has been a big part of improving my abilities. We get along very well and I think we will be a strong pairing. Jan is one of the best drivers out there, it will be a great experience being able to compete together. Consistency is key, and it’s my goal to finish as high as possible in the championship this year.

Jörg Bergmeister // No. 58 Porsche 911 GT3 R // SprintX
I’m really happy to be sharing a car with Patrick again. The Pirelli World Challenge is going to be a new series for me and I’m excited for the challenge. Patrick has already been very successful in this championship so I’m looking forward to helping him with some unfinished business. Working with John Wright and Wright Motorsports is also something that I have done successfully over the years. We’ve already had a very good test with the team and hopefully that will translate to many successful races for us during the SprintX season.

Jan Heylen // No. 16 Porsche 911 GT3 R // SprintX
It’s so nice to finally be a part of the Pirelli World Challenge. Then the fact that I get to do it with Wright Motorsports and Mike Schein makes it even better. I’ve been working with John Wright for four years now and started coaching Mike in his first year of the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge [2014], so everyone there is family to me. Mike is certainly one of the quicker GTA guys out there well so I’m confident that we have a great shot at this. It’s also nice to be in a car next to Patrick and Jörg. There will be some good competition within the team and I like that. Now I’m ready to get things started!

Upon the completion of the two-day test Team Manager Tom Milner said the outing was an overall success, but added the team returned to the shop knowing a lot of work remained to be done. The crew is devoting long hours preparing the No. 50 Panoz Avezzano GTS in these final days before the St. Petersburg, Fla. races.

Ian James, who joined Team Panoz Racing in January for the full Pirelli World Challenge Championship season, also spent long hours with the team and on the track to best prepare the brand new race car for its first race weekend. One fortunate benefit is James’ familiarity with Panoz sports cars, having raced various Panoz machines during his successful 18-year career. James will drive the No. 50 Avezzano GTS in the Pirelli World Challenge GTS class this season, starting with rounds one and two on the Streets of St. Petersburg circuit.

Team Panoz Racing also welcomes Stefan Pfeiffer, who assumes the team’s race engineer responsibilities for the Pirelli World Challenge Championship season.

The race car is based on the new Panoz Avezzano sports car, the latest street legal Panoz creation featuring Panoz hallmarks – aluminum-intensive construction, an American V8, and a proper manual gearbox.

Quoteboard:

Tom Milner
“After our first two days with a new car, I have to say it’s been a good test. In all of my years of racing, I can’t ever remember having tested a brand new car with so few problems. But it’s not all roses; there’s still a lot to do before we head to St. Petersburg. We ended the day with a degree of confidence we’ll do well, and I think that in itself speaks well of the whole crew. The mechanics, the engineers, the designers, everyone at Team Panoz Racing, as well as Ian [James] have all worked very hard and as a team and devoted a lot of hours to get ready. It’s really terrific, and all deserve credit. I am very proud of the team.”

Ian James
“For a new car rollout, yesterday was very successful and today we made continuous progress. We had quite a list to go through. Obviously with any new car you have that. But we went through them and ticked off all the boxes. I’m very happy with the car. It’s very enjoyable to drive, and I’m definitely looking forward to the first race.”

Returning for his 15th season of Pirelli World Challenge competition, Global Motorsports Group (GMG) team owner James Sofronas will arrive at next week’s Grand Prix of St. Petersburg fully committed to the series’ sprint rounds, continuing his commitment with Porsche Motorsport North America and the venerable Porsche 911 GT3 R. Beyond the five-race sprint championship, however, the team is proud to announce the addition of Porsche Motorsport works driver Laurens Vanthoor for the opening two rounds of the series’ SprintX championship, co-driving with Sofronas in pursuit of overall victory.

“It’s great to be back in the Pirelli World Challenge for another season,” stated Sofronas. “It’s incredible to think of how the series has grown over the years, and it’s been an honor to be a part of it. Our business has grown with it of course, and 2017 looks to be a great continuation of that. Last year we really enjoyed working with the current iteration of the Porsche 911 GT3 R in its first year of development, and headed in to this year we have a very good understanding of what to expect. Of course a big part of that is our relationship with Porsche Motorsport North America, and the addition of Laurens Vanthoor for our opening two SprintX events is a huge demonstration of our mutual commitment to one another. Porsche has been a big part of our business over the years, and bringing in such a talented co-driver is a great opportunity for everyone. I’m really looking forward to St. Petersburg and it should be a great race.”

As a team with a rich history of competing with Porsche machinery, GMG and Sofronas’ return to the marque is part of a partnership that has been synonymous with the team’s growth. Not only did Sofronas take his first victory, as well as his best championship finish under the Porsche Motorsport umbrella, but the team also played a critical role in the 2008 and 2009 Manufacturer’s Championship won by the brand. In 2016, GMG also held the unique distinction of being the top sales team for the Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport, selling more cars than any other in North America.

Joining GMG for the opening SprintX rounds at VIRginia International Raceway as well as Mosport will be factory newcomer Laurens Vanthoor. Joining the team in his first year with Porsche Motorsport, the Belgian will join Sofronas for the two-driver, sixty-minute format with an impressive roster of success. At only 25-years old, Vanthoor already has a résumé that includes the Intercontinental GT Championship, victories at the 24 Hours of Nürbürgring, 24 Hours of Spa, and even the German Formula 3 championship.

Of course, beyond the team’s on-track performance, Sofronas and company will continue to use the series as a development for their expanding street tuning business. As the leading performance tuning shop in Southern California, the team has used their trackside experience with Porsche and a number of other marques to give them a unique advantage in understanding the characteristics of their street counterparts. In such, no other organization in the area has a deeper understanding of the dynamics and engineering to make their vehicles perform, which has translated to a number of street car performance products. In addition, the racing environment has created an incredible learning ground for team personnel, with the team offering the same championship-winning experience on the track for a client’s daily driver.

In addition to Sofronas’s full efforts behind the wheel of the No. 14, the team owner will also maintain a busy racing schedule with the team’s three car program. Beyond running Alec Udell and Preston Calvert in another Porsche 911 GT3 R, the addition of George Kurtz’s McLaren 570S GT4 GTS program will add another dynamic in the form of experiential entertainment, with Kurtz bringing on CrowdStrike as a primary sponsor. On any given weekend, CrowdStrike will use the team and series as an opportunity to host several dozen partners, clients, and guests, the type of program that Sofronas relishes in, fully aware of what the series has to offer.

Additionally, Sofronas will bring on sponsorship to the program from Mobil 1, The Thermal Club, and a new partnership with renowned apparel company 5.11 Tactical. Producing a wide range of durability-oriented apparel, 5.11 Tactical joins the team as an excellent fit, with the company specializing in apparel ranging from shirts, pants, boots, accessories, and beyond, all oriented for extreme use including law enforcement, fire and rescue, and beyond.

The series “Sprint” championship will begin in just over one-weeks’ time with the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, with Sofronas and the No. 14 Mobil 1 / 5.11 Tactical / The Thermal Club Porsche 911 GT3 R committed to the entirety of the championship.

Official practice begins Thursday, March 9, with the first of two-races occurring on Saturday, March 11, and the second on Sunday, March 12.

“We couldn’t be happier to have the addition of both Pierre and Spencer to the team,” stated Magnus Racing team owner and driver John Potter. “Pierre Kaffer’s success speaks for itself, and as an Audi Sport provided driver, he clearly has the pace and the talent to compete with the best of them. He’s already proven a good fit with us during testing, and we expect he’ll suit us well going in to the 2017 season. I’ve known Spencer for a while, including briefly driving with him, and know he’ll be a great fit with us for the SprintX races. He’s obviously a proven winner, not to mention has some great experience with Audi machinery, so we’re hoping for good things with the two of them driving together. It’s great to finally kick in to gear with the season beginning next week, we all feel very prepared and ready for St. Petersburg.”

Joining the team for the majority of the 2017 season, Pierre Kaffer comes to Magnus Racing as a proven winner and veteran of sportscar racing worldwide. No stranger to success, the German’s career includes an overall victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring, class victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Petit Le Mans, Sebring, and even a championship in the former American Le Mans Series’ highly competitive GT2 category. Having driven a variety of vehicles in a number of series, including the prestigious DTM championship, the Audi Sport driver joins Magnus as a newcomer to the Pirelli World Challenge and its challenging sprint format. Unfortunately, due to his obligations at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring and 24 Hours of Spa, Kaffer will miss the rounds at Lime Rock in May and Mid-Ohio in July. The team will still be entered in those events with an eye on the Team Championship, with a to-be-named replacement.

For Kaffer, the opportunity to join the most recent team to win with Audi in North America is a welcome one.

“I’m really looking forward to joining Magnus Racing in 2017,” stated Kaffer. “The team has a great reputation for results, and even though it’s their first season of the Pirelli World Challenge I think we all believe we can be competitive. I was able to meet everyone at a recent test, and it’s clearly a great group, and a very comfortable atmosphere. I’m extremely appreciative of the opportunity, and look forward to getting the season started in St. Petersburg.”

Joining Kaffer for the series’ two-driver “SprintX” rounds, Spencer Pumpelly will join the Magnus Racing No. 4 GT entry for the five-race championship. A veteran of American racing, the Georgia resident is one of the most respected drivers in the paddock, having taken two victories at The Rolex 24 at Daytona, countless wins in the IMSA and former GRAND-AM and ALMS ranks, and is the reigning IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge ST category champion. While new to the team, Pumpelly has worked with a majority of Magnus personnel over the years, including John Potter whom he drove with in 2009 before the current team was formed.

For Spencer, while technically a Magnus newcomer, the feeling within the team is already comfortable.

“I already feel right at home with everyone at Magnus Racing,” stated Pumpelly. “I’ve known almost everyone on the team for a long time, so it’s a very comfortable place to be, and the chemistry is already excellent. The SprintX format is a unique one, as both Pierre and I will be flat out for some very short stints, but it should make for some exciting races. I drove the previous generation Audi for a full season in 2014, so I know what the quality of car and support will be, and with all this in mind we’re definitely optimistic on our chances. Technically my season doesn’t begin until VIR in April, but everyone has been great, including me in all of their plans and testing, so we’re already in great shape. I really appreciate everyone bringing me on, and look forward to what the season brings.”

“We were very pleased with how our first shakedown test went,” said CRP Racing team owner Nicolas Short. “We ran the usual amount of laps necessary to break in a car, which will prove useful moving forward, as we complete more serious testing and prepare for the rest of the season.”

While Sebring International Raceway will not be one of the 11 stops on the 2017 Pirelli World Challenge calendar, the track is used continuously during the winter months for off season testing throughout the motorsports community. The orange and black Mercedes AMG GT3 ran throughout the day on the 17-turn, 3.84 mile road course in Florida.

“It was great to get to work with CRP Racing for the first time,” said Dalziel. “It felt like we had been together for years, and we just hit the ground running. The Mercedes AMG GT3 is going to be a contender the moment we get to St Petersburg. Big thank you to all of our sponsors for making this happen, especially to DeVILBISS and HAWK. We’re ready to get to the first race and show what we got.”

The first race of the season will take place in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, March 10-12, giving the team two weeks to make the final preparations on the new car. Competing in the main GT class, the No. 2 Mercedes AMG GT3 and the rest of the field will race on the temporary circuit comprised of the downtown streets. The team will still have a vast amount of work to do on the new car, but with a successful opening test complete, the outlook for the season opener is high.

“Our expectations were met it,” summarized Short. “It is a great car, and we look forward to St. Petersburg.”

Davison, the Australian pro driver who delivered a remarkable 5 pole positions in a row in 2014/2015 in the GT3 is once again reunited with the team and the fierce V12 Vantage GT3 he drove so well. St. Petersburg’s beautiful oceanfront track boasts 14 turns winding along the sunny streets of the Florida shoreline. A peaceful atmosphere of fans sipping champagne on yachts moored between swaying harborside palm trees is broken by the roar of powerful sports cars barreling down the streets at over 160mph. Davison’s ruthless racecraft and keen familiarity with this track earned him 2nd place in the 2016 PWC race. This year, he’ll race the 007 LaSalle Solutions Aston Martin V12 Vantage GT3 during this festival of motorsports shared with IndyCar and other fan-favorite race series.

“I am excited to be rejoining TRG and the Aston Martin brand after much success together the past 3 years. The Vantage GT3 promises to be strong on the St. Petersburg streets and we look to go one spot better than my 2nd place finish last year,” said Davison. “It will be an exciting weekend for the team and all of its partners and sponsors. “

The Taylor brothers are celebrating an exciting IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship win at the Rolex 24 At Daytona where they drove the all-new Cadillac DPi-V.R prototype to the overall victory.  The PWC season will open with a sprint round in the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida at the Cadillac Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, March 10-12.

O’Connell is coming off a three-race win season in 2016 (wins at Circuit of the Americas, two at Sonoma Raceway) and, a pole position (Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca). O’Connell is a four-time PWC GT driver champion and drives the Velocity Red No. 3 Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe. Teammate Cooper posted two wins last year (Barber Motorsports Park and Mid-Ohio) and, a pole at Barber Motorsport Park. Cooper will start his sophomore season with his No. 8 Cadillac ATS-V.R in a new Vector Blue livery.

Jordan and Ricky Taylor will join the team for the PWC SprintX rounds. The SprintX rounds will take place at Virginia International Raceway (VIR), Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Lime Rock Park, Utah Motorsports Campus and the Circuit of the Americas. The dynamic of two-driver racing in the PWC series is an exciting prospect for the four Cadillac drivers. Driver pairings for the SprintX opening round at VIR, April 28-30 are forth coming.

“I’m very much looking forward to the 2017 PWC season,” O’Connell said. “We had one bad weekend last year, that really cost us, and I’ve been training hard all winter looking for some redemption. Ricky and Jordan are doing a great job proving themselves on the world stage, especially with that great win at Daytona two weeks ago. I am very much looking forward to working with them this season in the SprintX races. Amazing strides have been made the last several years in PWC that have made it a destination for top drivers. I plan to keep an open mind heading into the first SprintX round at VIR in April.”
 
Cooper is anxious for the season to start and to drive with Ricky and Jordan.

“I’ve been counting down the days to the start of the season, so it’s nice that it is almost here,” Cooper said. “Being back with Cadillac Racing is still very exciting to me and I can’t wait to get my sophomore season in the GT class started.  I’ve already heard of some other high caliber efforts being launched for this year, which is great news. I think we are going to see the competition take another step up in PWC, which means it will be that much more exciting to watch. All of the Cadillac fans should be as excited as I am to have Jordan and Ricky with us for the SprintX races this year. Jordan has tested with us numerous times the last few years, so I’m sure they’ll slot right in and make their presence known. For anybody that has been living under a rock, they bring a wealth of endurance experience, having won the Rolex 24 and competing at Le Mans. They are a perfect fit for Cadillac Racing’s SprintX program.
 
“The new Vector Blue livery on my No. 8 Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe really makes a statement. It screams performance! I fell in love with the color when I saw it for the first time on the ATS-V street car. I’ve seen some teaser pictures of the race car and when I saw it in person it looked even better.”

Ricky Taylor is looking forward to running in a sprint format again.

“I am extremely excited to share the ATS-V.R with the guys,” Ricky Taylor said. “I have always been a huge fan of the ATS-V.R program and of Johnny and Michael so getting a chance to contribute to the team and hopefully another championship is a great opportunity. I haven’t done a real sprint race in quite a few years now so it is very exciting. It will be more like a qualifying session than what I am used to, where tire wear is not a factor and the race is flat out from start to finish. I think it will be a different mindset than I am used to. While we have to be aggressive and track position is important, we still have to give the car off to our teammate in good condition to go win the race. Three of the five tracks where we race this year in PWC are places that I really miss going to. Lime Rock is an extra special one for me as I have won there 3 times and it was my first professional win while driving with Max Angelelli. But they are all great circuits and all present very different challenges.”

Jordan Taylor is excited about running at VIR and Lime Rock again.

“I’m really looking forward to getting back in the Cadillac ATS-V.R,” Jordan Taylor said. “It’s been a few years since I’ve been with the team in competition, but I’ve always kept in contact and kept my eye on them during their race weekends. I’ve known and driven with Johnny since 2011 and Michael since 2013. They’ve both won championships and races in World Challenge, so I’m looking forward to driving alongside them and learning more from them. These races have more of a sprint race feel from what we’re used to. Our shortest race is 100 minutes, at Detroit and Long Beach. Those races also have just one pit stop, so I feel like we can draw from those experiences. You’re going to have to be on top of your game to win these races, there is no room for error in such short events.
 
“It’s been a few years since I’ve been to VIR and Lime Rock. Those are tracks that I always enjoyed. They are true, old school race tracks in America. The layouts are very enjoyable for a driver and present a big challenge for the engineers. VIR has always been one of my favorite tracks, so I can’t wait to get back there.”

“The championship-winning Cadillac ATS-V.R Coupe has established itself as a clear winner in the Pirelli World Challenge series,” said Rich Brekus, Global Director of Product Strategy for Cadillac. “Competing with and beating other top brands demonstrates and confirms the Cadillac V-Performance abilities on race tracks across North America.”

2017 Pirelli World Challenge Schedule:
March 10-12, Streets of St. Petersburg
April 7-9, Long Beach Grand Prix
April 28-30, Virginia International Raceway, SprintX
May 19-21, Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, SprintX
May 26-27, Lime Rock Park, SprintX
June 23-25, Road America, SprintX
July 28-30, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
August 11-13, Utah Motorsports Park, SprintX
September 1-3, Circuit of the Americas, SprintX
September 15-17, Sonoma Raceway

“With the addition of new teams, drivers and GT3 cars in the Pirelli World Challenge, 2017 is going to be tighter and more challenging than ever,” said Team Owner Jim Haughey. “So we are very pleased to have Alvaro, the returning Driver’s Champion, team up with the very competent Bryan Sellers in GT and Mike Hedlund in GTA.”
 
Despite being new to the series and unfamiliar with nine of the eleven tracks on the 2016 calendar, McLaren GT Factory Driver Parente was a quick study, capturing five poles and six wins in his opening season. His first win of the season came from a second place finish at the Long Beach Grand Prix, when a penalization of the No. 3 Cadillac of Johnny O’Connell moved Parente up to the top step. Even hungrier for his first outright win in the series, Parente returned to the track at Barber Motorsports Park to take his first pole position, win, and double podium of the season. At Lime Rock Park, the Portuguese driver dominated both events, winning both races from the starting position. His season-long battle with Porsche’s Pat Long and Cadillac’s Johnny O’Connell came down to the final race, resulting in Parente as the victor. Now familiar with the tracks on the Pirelli World Challenge calendar, Parente is poised to be a championship contender from the drop of the first green flag of 2017.

“I’m very happy to be back with K-PAX Racing for this season,” said Parente. “I get along very well with everyone on the team, and feel we all have the same goals and will push hard to win further races . Now that I have experience of the tracks and a strong working relationship with the team, it’s time to attack and fight hard from the start of the season. There are some changes in the championship, and together with the team, I’m sure we will be working hard to have a great 2017! I’m really looking forward to start working with the guys soon and start fighting for those results!”

With a championship to defend, K-PAX Racing made the decision to add another professional driver to the lineup, placing American Bryan Sellers to the No. 6 McLaren 650S GT3. Like many of his competitors, Sellers’ racing career began at a young age with go-kart racing, where six years later, he advanced to competition in Skip Barber Racing School. He climbed the open wheel racing ladder from 1999 to 2004 before making his debut in sports car racing as a factory Panoz Motorsports Driver in the American Le Mans Series. In 2009, Sellers became a factory driver with Team Falken Tire, earning six class victories with co-driver Wolf Henzler. For 2017, Sellers will also compete in a full race season in the IMSA United SportsCar Championship with Paul Miller Racing.

“It’s a huge honor to be selected to be a part of K-PAX Racing,” said Sellers. “They have shown over the years that they are extremely committed to performing at the highest level of motorsports. I am very excited to take on the challenges that lie ahead with a car and a series that are new to me. I am very much looking forward to being paired with Alvaro and learning and working with the latest series champion. There will certainly be a target on the team’s back, and there will be big shoes to fill after last year’s achievements, but that is what makes it exciting.”
 

During the 2016 season, American Mike Helund participated in the Sonoma Grand Prix with Flying Lizard Motorsports, competing in the GT Cup class, and earning two podiums. First bitten by the racing bug in 2001 at a high performance driving school, Hedlund’s racing career started in 2010 when he competed in the 24 Hours of LeMons race at Thunderhill. From club racing to the American Le Mans Series, Hedlund’s career to date encompasses nine race series and a variety of cars. For 2016, he ran a full season in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA. This year, he will race the No. 98 McLaren 650S GT3 in the GTA class.

“After competing against K-PAX Racing in 2014 and 2015 and watching what they were able to accomplish in the 2016 Pirelli World Challenge racing season, I’m excited to join them for 2017 in the McLaren 650S GT3! Being based out of Northern California I’ve known many of the team members for years and I’m looking forward to finally racing together for an entire season. While the McLaren 650S GT3 is a new car for me and that brings its own challenges, the team has more than shown that they know what it takes to build a race-winning car. The Pirelli World Challenge series is fiercely competitive with experienced teams, drivers and cars, but I know we have everything that’s needed to compete at the front of the field. I’ve already had a brief taste of the car in testing and can’t wait for our first race in St. Petersburg, Florida! It’s going to be a knock-down, drag-out fight all season, but we’re up to the challenge!”

The 2017 Pirelli World Challenge will visit many of the same iconic tracks as before, such as Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, with the new addition of VIRginia International Raceway in April. Pirelli World Challenge also announced a new format for the GT and GTS race events, turning the formatting of five of the events into two-driver entries per car in a 60 minute race, called SprintX. Driver lineups for the SprintX races will be announced at a later date.

“We are extremely happy to be returning to the Pirelli World Challenge to defend our titles from 2016,” said Program Manager Darren Law. “We had an amazing season last year and 2017 looks like it will be bigger and more competitive. As for us, we feel we have a very potent driver line up. With several new cars, teams, and drivers coming to the series, I think this might be the most competitive season yet.”

In October, the team announced it would be expanding its customer racing program by returning to its Porsche roots, entering two full season Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR race cars in the Grand Touring Sedan (GTS) class. The following week, 17 year old GTS driver Nate Stacy, who finished second in the 2016 Pirelli World Challenge GTS Drivers Championship, was announced as the first driver to sign on for the new program.

Last week, Brazilian race car driver Rodrigo Baptista signed with Flying Lizard Motorsports, completing the two car lineup for the 2017 season. The twenty year old racer began his pursuit of the sport in 2012, winning the Sao Paulo Go-Kart Championship the following year. In 2015, Baptista advanced from go karts to South American F3, and finished fourth in the 2015 Formula 3 Brazil Championship, also competing in the Brazilian Touring Car Championship. Last season, Baptista was named an official Audi Racing Driver, and joined Belgian Audi Club Team WRT in the Blancpain GT Series.

“I’m excited to join the Flying Lizard family,” said Baptista. “There’s no better start in this new chapter in my racing career here in the United States. As I am coming from a European series, everything will be a new challenge for me and I like that. I can’t wait to drive the new Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR. I want to say thank you to my sponsor, HT Pro, to my family, always supporting my decisions and to everyone helping me so far.”

Baptista will participate his first test in the new car later this month.

While the team begins preparation on the new cars back at the shop, this week Nate Stacy will travel to Germany with Flying Lizard Team Principal and Program Manager Darren Law to participate in a driver fitness camp at the Potsdam University Outpatient Clinic in Brandenburg. This is the same program Porsche’s Factory GT drivers, Junior drivers, and others are invited to undergo physical evaluations and rigorous training in preparation for the approaching race season. Following the fitness camp, Stacy and Law will also visit the Porsche Research and Development Center in Weissach and meet with other Porsche representatives in Stuttgart.

“I am really looking forward to the upcoming season,” said Law. “We have signed two great drivers in Nate Stacy and Rodrigo Baptista. They are both young and have very credible racing backgrounds. We are thankful for our relationship with Porsche. Not only do they produce great cars but they are very supportive of their teams. Having the opportunity to take our drivers to Germany and put them through the fitness program and visit Porsche helps them to understand the history and culture of the brand.